Bute-Grachev aftermath

Will it be enough as he faces Froch next?

By Dave Spencer

Photo: Herby Whyne

Winning Saturday night was a definite step forward for Montreal’s Lucian Bute as the super middleweight came back from his only career loss to post a 115-113, 118-112, 116-112 victory over a very solid and tough Denis Grachev in front of 10,122 fans at the Bell Centre. How big a step and whether it was enough to the southpaw headed back to a championship level remains to be seen as Bute is now scheduled to meet Carl Froch next March in Montreal, the same Carl Froch he lost to in humiliating fashion this past May in Nottingham England. If the idea for Bute and his team was to get a heavy handed opponent with an iron chin who would come forward and test the resolve of the Romanian born fighter, the plan worked. Sometimes it worked a little too well. Click here to continue reading